And he never knew just how close he came
by Iverik
Summary: Quick one-shot: Mal doesn't like traitors, even when they come to his side. So what starts him thinking of Jayne as crew?


Malcolm Reynolds had never intended to acquire another crewmember. The man known as Jayne had simply glanced in disgust at his companions, simply shuffled his feet away from them, simply hunched his shoulders slightly as they approached. It was subtle, but it was there, and Mal could tell. The man known as Jayne was a turncoat.

As soon as the other two had grumbled and limped away from the encounter, Jayne had started to move in. Mal gave Zoey the silent command. She didn't hesitate, calmly walking to where their guns were piled. She drew her mare's leg out, giving it the slightest of shakes to knock the dirt off, then she slinked away. Mal watched her go. A slight, ironic smile flickered across his face, and he glanced off after the other thieves.

Inside, Zoe stalked her prey in silence. Years of life-or-death experience kept her footfalls soft. Jayne was unsuspecting, his little mind absorbed in the wonders of the ship. He paused to lick a railing. Zoe almost took the shot right then, but there was a sudden movement.

"Mal? Zoe? Ya took care o'the raiders, right?" Kaylee's head popped up from her hiding place. Zoe cursed under her breath. Under no circumstances was she going to shoot a man right in front of the bubbly mechanic. She had enough scars; Kaylee didn't need them.

"Guess you could say that," Jayne grunted. Kaylee yiped, backing away in fear. Jayne half-laughed. "Others went runnin'," he announced, "cap'n's invited me to stay."

"He did?" Kaylee perked up. She glanced past him, saw Zoey, began to smile. "Shiny."

Zoe expected the mercenary to sit and admire the pretty young mechanic for a while. She gritted her teeth about it, but her fears were groundless. True, Jayne did give Kaylee a few admiring glances, but they were just that, glances. His eyes flicked around the cargo bay. "Right purty in here," he remarked.

Kaylee beamed. "Ya think so? Should see the kitchen."

Jayne was noisily pleased that there was, in fact, a kitchen, and eagerly followed Kaylee into it, Zoe trailing them. He oohed and aahed at Kaylee's skill with a paint brush.

"I've been tryin' to roun' up some proper chairs," Kaylee was saying, "but coin's rather scarce'n'we haven't had much luck lately."

"Huh. Well, seeing as I'm here now, maybe our luck will change, meimei," Jayne grunted, "now, where abouts is this here room?" He tersely described the exchange outside the ship.

Kaylee looked thoughtful. "I suppose they'll put you in Zoey's old room, now that she's moved in with Wash n all."

"Shiny. Where's that?" Kaylee pointed. Jayne nodded roughly. "Thanks," he muttered. He hurried away. As he passed Zoe, the ex-browncoat was shocked to see tears in his eyes.

Jayne noticed her surprise. Immediately, the tough mercenary mask was back. "Gorram sand gits everywhere, don't it?" He snapped, but his eyes drifted back towards Kaylee's paintings.

Zoe could be ruthless sometimes. "Ain't what's a matter."

"Gorram it…" Zoey waited him out, an eyebrow cocked. Jayne sighed. "She's… whoever she is, she's a dead ringer for Maddie."

"Girlfriend?"

"Kid sister," Jayne growled, "don't look a thing like her but… the way her eyes dance n the way she tries to make everythin' around her beautified…" he almost choked up again, but forced it down.

"She's still livin'," he added hastily, the words tumbling on top of each other, fast. "She an' my ma. I'd be there, but, well, I ain't too good at much sides shootin' and fightin', and there ain't no dee-mand for that back home." He paused. "Send most of my pay back to 'em. When I can." He looked around. "'n'if you tell anyone about this, I swear I will kill you." He stomped off up the ladder.

Zoe drifted outside. Mal greeted her, eyebrows raised.

"I dunno, sir," she said, "I think we oughta give him a trial."

"A trial?" Mal's eyebrows rose to his hairline. "Zoe, the man could stab us all in our sleep."

"I'll lock him in," Zoe suggested, "but sir, you should have seen the way he looked at Kaylee." She glanced over her shoulder and then back at her captain. "He won't do anything for the same reason I didn't kill him in front a' her."

Mal considered. "Alright," he said, "a trial. But if this goes south, I'm holding you responsible."

"Wouldn't have it any other way, sir," Zoe held up her hands mock-meekly as she led the way into Serenity.

Mal glanced up at his new charge. Wash was cheerfully and playfully introducing himself. Jayne glanced with contempt at the dinosaur the blond pilot was making a member of the conversation. Suddenly, everything felt right. Mal had found something, someone he didn't know he needed, that his crew needed. "Chow's in ten," he called up, and he strode across the bay.


End file.
